前苏联共合国乔治亚这一阵子流行用水蛭治疗疾病,以往欧洲人会用水蛭治疗痔疮,乔治亚人把这项疗法发扬光大,用来治疗其他疾病。; P/ {9 s) ^8 [/ C/ T4 U
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乔治亚很多诊所都提供水蛭疗法,病人得先跟诊所买一只水蛭,更年期妇女先把水蛭放在脖子上,经过一、二十分钟,水蛭吸完血,身体膨胀4倍,就可以取下,接着医师再把另外2只水蛭放在这名妇女上下牙龈上,等吸完血再取出,医师在患者伤口上贴上绷带,就算完成治疗。接受过治疗的妇女说,她们在更年期会出现的潮红和盗汗都有明显改善。 3 \& @$ }" H; r, M ( ]: G+ F5 u: P6 ~0 n1 y" H 另外,有一些高血压或是经常性头痛病人,也会用水蛭疗法降低血压,或是治疗头痛。一名医师说,不但乔治亚人用水蛭治病,乌克兰、波兰、甚至德国,也有不少人接受这种疗法。* y7 s' L r% z; Z0 ~% B
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) S9 K8 w/ P" L8 Q6 ] j ! T7 Y' v$ a- G% I ) p4 X8 b! A& e1 ^1 w& G) ^ X' p人在德国 社区Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011( P/ _! Z) r- N+ a3 @" u5 C! A
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Leeches have been used in medicine for thousands of years. By attaching themselves to the body, and sucking blood from a patient, they were thought to bring health benefits. + Q9 B- M4 `# l' \; ]$ I1 w# H人在德国 社区 ! l& r) X+ W' M3 Drs238848.rs.hosteurope.deThe idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. " \) m+ \: X5 f, O, d" @( X/ u$ E2 @& h2 ]2 a9 l& \
That idea fell out of fashion during the 20th century, with the discovery of modern drugs. But today, as interest in traditional medicine grows, they are making a comeback - particularly in the former Soviet State of Georgia.人在德国 社区9 m( Z5 C! O0 y( z3 d
4 G* V h l, ?( [人在德国 社区Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.